Beyond Project

Lid

Materials with positive or neutral charge can pass through the gate freely regardless of electric potential of the Gate.
Therefore, we considered the idea that we modified several long, but shorter than Porter1, single-stranded DNA at the entrance of Gate.
All sequences were made of only adenine in order not to interact with Porter. It is expected that they prevent non-target materials from entering the Gate, and work as a lid of the Gate. Molecular dynamics simulation suggested such design is feasible. Under the simulation condition, a bead from outside do not have electricity. Lennard-Jones potential is the trigger of the repulsion to inhibit entrance of molecules.

Movie1 : Cylinder with additional strands

Movie2 : Ordinary cylinder

Aptamer

There exists special DNA sequences called Aptamer which interact with bio molecule. If we utilize the Aptamer sequence to the Porters, we can transport various materials selectively.

Application

If making artificial channels is achieved, we can deliver siRNA to the target region efficiently, or remove toxic molecules from our body. Moreover, we can overcome different illnesses like drug resistant cancer cells, bacteria or protozoa (like malaria), because we can deliver medicine directly to these cells through artificial channels.